Fazlur Rahman
One date decides your bill. ISC2 closed new sign ups for its One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program on May 20, 2026. If you joined before that day, you can still sit the free exam until December 31, 2026. If you did not, the exam costs $199 on its own, $299 with a second attempt built in, or $454 with 90 days of self-paced training and the exam. By the end of this guide you will know which of those you are, what the exam covers, and how to study for free either way.
Is the ISC2 CC certification free in 2026?
Plenty of people type isc2 cc certification free into a search box and expect a yes. The honest answer for a new candidate is no. The free offer existed, it was huge, and it has now closed.
ISC2 launched the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program to close the workforce gap. It gave the first one million people a free online course and a free exam voucher. ISC2 announced in April 2026 that the program had passed one million enrollments and that it would stop taking new sign ups on May 20, 2026.
Two rules still apply to people who joined early. Any unexpired exam code must be scheduled and taken by December 31, 2026. And finishing the course is not required to sit the exam, so you can use the remaining months to study on your own.
The ISC2 Candidate program is still free to join, and it gives you member benefits while you work toward your first certification.
What does the free offer actually cover?
Two things: the Certified in Cybersecurity online self-paced course and one exam voucher. For anyone who still holds a valid code from the pledge, that is the whole free package.
ISC2 states that the free attempt is good once. If you do not pass, a second attempt means paying the full exam fee unless your voucher came with Peace of Mind Protection.
One detail catches people out. Pearson VUE runs the exam, and a pledge member sees a checkout total of $0. Pearson also charges no rescheduling fee for a first time pledge sitter who takes the CC by December 31, 2026.
| Option | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CC Exam | One attempt at a Pearson VUE test center | $199 |
| CC Exam with Peace of Mind Protection | Two attempts, 180 days to use both | $299 |
| CC Online Self-Paced Training with 90 day access and Exam | Course plus one exam attempt | $454 |
What does the CC exam cover in 2026?
The exam outline that took effect on September 1, 2026 divides the test into five domains. Security Principles carries 24 percent of the weight and Networking and Cloud Security Concepts carries 21.3 percent. Identity and Access Management Concepts carries 20 percent, while Security Governance and Security Operations and Incident Response carry 17.3 percent each.
The test uses computerized adaptive testing, which means the number of questions moves with your answers. The ISC2 outline lists 2 hours, 100 to 125 items, and a passing grade of 700 out of 1000 points. You sit at a Pearson VUE testing center, and the exam is offered in English, Chinese, Japanese, German, and Spanish.
There is no experience requirement. The outline states that no work experience in cybersecurity and no formal degree is needed to take the exam, although basic IT knowledge saves you study time.
How much does the CC exam cost when you pay?
ISC2's own pricing page lists the CC exam at $199 in the Americas, in the Middle East, in Africa, and across Asia Pacific. Europe is priced in euros at 191.04 and the United Kingdom in pounds at 161.19. Add the $50 annual maintenance fee that starts after you pass, and a first attempt with self study lands near $249 in total.
Two extra fees catch people out. Pearson charges $50 to reschedule and $100 to cancel. If you do not sit the exam within 365 days of buying it, the fee is not refunded.
Compare that with the rest of the entry level market. Security Plus Certification Cost 2026 Full Breakdown and CompTIA Security+ Exam Cost 2026 Full Breakdown show what the Security+ path costs, and the gap between the two prices is wide enough to matter for a first credential.
A third option is a course based certificate with no proctored exam at all. Google Cybersecurity Certificate 2026 Complete Review explains what that route gives you and what it does not.
Where can you study for free in 2026?
Three free paths work well for this exam. First, pledge members keep 180 days of access to the ISC2 self-paced course if they joined before May 20, 2026. Second, the free courses on Microsoft Learn cover the same ground and cost nothing. Third, Cisco's Skills for All platform offers free self-paced courses, including an introduction to cybersecurity course.
For the wider list, our Free Online Courses With Free Certificates in 2026 guide rounds up the free courses that still hand out a certificate of completion this year.
Hands-on practice costs nothing as well. TryHackMe's free plan covers the basics at no cost, and PortSwigger's Web Security Academy is free from the first lesson to the last. Both map well onto the network and cloud domain.
What does the CC credential lead to next?
The CC is a foundation credential, and ISC2 sells it as the first step for entry and junior security roles. The value is the signal it puts on a resume and the fact that you sat a real exam under a testing center camera with a pass mark of 700 out of 1000.
After the CC, the usual next steps sit higher on the same ISC2 ladder. The pricing page lists the SSCP at $249, the CCSP at $599, and the CISSP at $749. The CISSP also needs years of experience before you can apply, so read CISSP Certification Requirements Explained for 2026 before you plan that one.
Most people pair the CC with hands-on practice or a second skill area such as cloud security. The CC proves you know the language of security. A portfolio proves you can use it.
Photo: knowledgetrain, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/project-management-certification-5441394/)
